Reviews by NeroFiddled:

You go to Minipivovar U Medvídků for the beer, and for the experience (however bad or good it might be). You do not go for the food, and you do not go for the service.

You can't blame them for the food because it's Prague, formerly under communist rule (until 1992!), and goulash and baked barley is what they're used to (and enjoy). And it is at least traditional (I'd rather eat fairly non-descript, un-flavorful traditional food than go to Burger King or some Chinese restaurant, so at least there's that).

And to a certain extent, the service follows suit because of the way things were under communist rule, so don't expect to sit down at the bar and be greeted. Or asked if you'd like a beer. Or offered a menu. You'll have to be assertive and ask for what you want, but don't be too assertive or you'll be given the cold shoulder. This is part of the experience.

If you don't speak Czech or Polish you'll be at a disadvantage, and I've seen servers who didn't speak English (or good enough German) simply turn and walk away from guests who were taking too long to articulate what they wanted. AND THEY NEVER CAME BACK! They had to be called over, which was not easy once the party had been dismissed. On that note, in Prague, and only in Prague because it's a completely tourist town, if you don't speak the language well and see a half-full table of English speaking people you might benefit by asking if you might sit with them.

Moving forward, there are different areas to the Minipivovar U Medvídků, so if there's a long line to get into the dining room try the bar area, or the upstairs - and keep in mind that smoking is allowed throughout most of it, so if you cannot tolerate that you'll need to make a point of asking first.

The beer is good, and that's what you're really there for anyway, right? I've heard it said that their beer is expensive, but I didn't find that in comparison to other brewpubs, and certainly not for what they were offering. These are quality beers that you can't get elsewhere, so to squabble over a few Koruna is pointless. I was more aggravated that I had to pay such high prices for such crappy food! I thought the beers here were just as good as those at Pivovar U Trí Ruží, U Fleků, or Klášterní pivovar Strahov. And, being such a tourist destination, I would not pass it by. (2,340 characters)

Beer selection consists solely of their own beers and Budweisers, but that's not a bad thing. Beers are good quality, and of course cheap - what more do you want? Cool building, centrally located, and huge. Maybe it was not the right night when I went, but there were maybe a hundred empty seats. The "Brewery" portion consists of a window looking into a small brewery; not worth checking out. And the "Beer Shop" consists of two fridges with a few bottles; also not worth checking out. However, it's a great place to start the night off (537 characters)

There is actually 2 parts of this place. The first is the actual bar area with a beer garden on the 1st floor that serves Budweiser Budvar. Then there's the "hidden" upstairs part of the bar where they serve their own house made beers and the self-proclaimed "Strongest Beer In the World", X33 (obviously, they haven't tried Sam Adams's Utopias or Dogfish Head 120 IPA). I went with a bunch of classmates. We did not understand why we had to go upstairs to try their beers, but we played along. The 2nd floor is nice with stills and a brief history of their brewpub. The food was very good. The beers were even better. My group had their Old Gott and a Raspberry beer similar to a Frambois. I had the X33 which was sweet like a Dogfish 120, but nowhere near as powerful. They even had some Old Gott and X33 to take home (which I did for my friends to try). Touristy, yes (but only for those in the know). But worth taking a bottle back with you. (945 characters)

This is owned and run by Budvar. The building is large and a warren of rooms, they can easily accommodate groups and there is a small gift shop. The atmosphere is sort of cool, with brewing equipment and barrels and a 'beer hall' ambiance. My friend seemed to like his goulash and I was grateful for a vegetarian barley dish with frazzled leeks on top that I enjoyed. Ok, the beer....ask the waiter what kind of beer is available. Answer: light or dark. That's all the info provided. Ok I assume the light is the classic Budvar czech lager, but what about the dark? No answer and he looked impatient. Language was a bit of a barrier but he didn't seem too interested. I noticed three other beers on the menu, what is this I asked, pointing to the X33? Answer: very strong, sweet. I ordered it, 'twas a dopplebock. A very sweet one. Not sure how you'd say dopplebock in Czech but would it kill them to let you know the style of beer? :-) So, long story short, I am glad I went but don't expect to learn much about the beer or get any questions answered. It would help to know a few words of Czech to establish rapport perhaps, but service with a smile isn't their strong suite. Still worth going, cool atmosphere. Total of two beers on draft, the light and the dark, and three in the bottle, one of which is a dopplebock. (1,320 characters)

Alewife and I stopped in here for dinner, on our first day in Praha (01OCT13) after some sightseeing.

It was found on the ground floor of a large white building, not far from the old town square. We entered and meandered about for a bit before being asked if we wanted seats. Yes, of course. We were first seated in a smoking area. We asked to change and were greatly pleased to be able to sit in a non-smoking area. Weren't sure if the Czech was going the way of Deutschland in this regard. Most of the place was a large, bier-hall type facility, with dark wood paneling down low and whitewashed, plain walls above. Furniture was old, worn, dark-wood, and the lighting was warm and not too bright. Our table in the non-smoking area was in a smaller room, though just as simple. Service was top-notch, from getting us non-smoking, to bringing us biers, to serving the food. They did the tag-team approach, and we always found someone nearby to help (even take our picture, though the manual focus stymied the waiter a bit). Their bier selection was fairly basic, with their own Oldgott and X-Beer 33, plus Budvar light and dark. Foodwise, we each had a tasty plate of pork with garlic, and fries. Quite filling, to say the least. Regarding costs, altogether, for the 2 meals, 3x 0.33l of Oldgott, and 2x 0.5l Budvar dark, plus tip, it came to 600CZK (~$34).I actually think they forgot a bier or 2 on the bill, but I won't complain. Have heard many a horror story from years past of hidden costs appearing on bills, so we'll take the positive error and be happy... It was a very pleasant experience, for both Alewife on her first day ever in Praha, and my first visit here since 1991. We opted to stop back in here on 03OCT for drinks, and had a similar, enjoyable experience while downing some X-Beer 33.... Prosit!!

Typical Czech pub set up with dark wood tables and chairs and many locals. Three beers included a Budvar Dark, Budvar Light, and their house beer (Old Gott semi dark lager). All were quite fine. I’d never had Budvar Dark and enjoyed the prune-like, dry and mineral character of the beer. And their house beer I think is a must for beer lovers who visit the city; fruity, solid hop bite, dusty, almost like a wine. Food was average. Would return (446 characters)

Went through the place to check out the " micro" brewery upstairs. The beer hall ( the moajority of the place) seemed fun, but the beer is mostly Budvar. The upstairs area is small but interesting, with the open fermentation room right there to see. Food was pretty decent for the price, but took quite a while to get (was just 2 items, one an appetizer and one a side order). The service was not that good. Granted they are not english speaking, but they are catering to foreigners at places like this and I don't think english is really required when it comes to paying attention and getting orders to you in a reasonable time. And then, the bier...The beer was good, though only 3 were available. The 33 they claim to be the strongest in the world, or something like that. It is smooth and tasty, but strong? Not compared to strong beers you can get in the US or elsewhere. For CZ and surrounding countries, probably so.All in all, probably worth a stop if you are near that street. (987 characters)

I bought a Beer Guide to Prague before going. I read it on the plane and I committed to sampling the recommended places and beers as much as I could afford to during the 9 days I was there (July 2011).

U Medvidku was the place I came back to. Even though I really wanted to "try them all."

But it is that kind of a place. You can sit either in the main hall, where you will be served Budejovicky Budvar - an excellent, excellent choice, or you could go upstairs and sample their own beers. I enjoyed both and had the best time in Prague in that pub.

I also drank at Novomestsky Pivovar, Pivovarsky Dum and several other breweries and historic pubs. While I enjoyed something in every place, it is U Medvidku that left the most memorable mark. It's a big place, but it's not hectic or impersonal.

It's a simple, inviting, casual and inexpensive place. For 600-800 korunas (=$30-40 US) you could get enough really tasty food and beer for two people there. More reasonable than most other places and a higher quality. Try their Tabor Basta (a mixed plate of sausage, ham, dumplings, sauerkraut and potatoes) that is sure to satisfy and tastes better than in most other places I've been to. Their Budvar is nothing short of exceptional, too.

I came across this brewpub on the way to the Old&New Town Beer Tour of Praha. It is right next to a mall and when you walk in, a gift shop surrounds you. Only 2 levels tall, I decided to go upstairs to where the "brewery" was located.

Very easy going and cozy place. Was very dead on the top level (on a Friday Night) when I came here. Everyone must have been @ U Fleku or one of the other beer halls around town. I enjoyed taking pictures of this place because of how different it was and re-tracking what I saw in Prague that day. Downstairs had a few tables filled and a couple people at the bar but I just wanted to enjoy a brew before going onto the Beer Tour.

While ordering a 0,3 L of the X beer 33, it was tapped from somewhere in the back room... Such a strong brew, I can't say this was an Euro Strong Lager but more like a Barleywine.

After presenting the beer to me, I didn't see my waitress again after my order and paying her upfront. I'm guessing she was the only one around the brewpub that night, but still not a very entertaining place.

There were only 3 beers available at the time, the U Medvidku 1466, X Beer 33, and their Oldgott. I chose this X Beer 33 because of its strength and the glass that was on their beer menu saying "Nikdy nepti sam! Don't Drink Alone".

I wouldn't mind coming back here to enjoy some of their other brews but if I come back to Prague, there are many other places I would rather get to than re-visiting this place. I would suggest stopping in here if in Prague for more than 2 weeks but not for a weekend. (1,563 characters)

Visited this mini-brewery in July 2011. I sat at the bar but walked thru most of the rest of the extensive premises. I did not tour the brewery section (mostly below ground?), but that is possible. You can see some nice storage or aging tanks outside the bathrooms, and glimpse other parts of the current or past brewing processes elsewhere on the premises.

The main room was rather hot and smokey, so I sat near the door at the small bar. This proved to be a good location because I got to see the beers being pulled (although there are more taps in the main dining room) and chat with the bartender a little ... this was difficult given his limited English and my non-existent Czech. There is substantial additional space upstairs, as well as a gift shop with beer-to-go and quite a few beer-related items for sale.

I enjoyed both of the beers I sampled. If I had tried a third, it would have been the red wheat ... unlikely to be a favorite given my preferences, but a beauty (5) of a beer to look at. The X33 beer, renowned at least for its high ABV, was not available at the time; it takes 90 days to age and will be available again in the Fall. In addition to these beers, which are brewed on premises, this is an official Budvar outlet and serves some of their products as well. In totall, they serve 3-4 of their own beers + about 7 others, all described and photographed nicely in a leather-bound beer menu.

Excellent website: http://www.umedvidku.cz/

Recommended for all beer geeks in the area.Easy walk from Mustek Metro station and Old Town Square. (1,568 characters)

Huge let down. Smokey and service was not great even for prague standards. Anthony Brourdain let me down here.

Food was good but nothing too different or better than an avg czech pub cuisine. A loaded menu or choices which is typical.

The regualr dark lager was solid but the imperial lager claime dto be the strongest in the world was pretty bad and hard to get down. Just not made very well.

we had issues with ordering. I speak decent czech but my family members dont speak at all and they struggled and the waitress did not seem to care or try to help. They were brought the wrong meals. i told them in the future I would order for them, but I wante dto give them a shot. Fail.... (687 characters)

Best place in town to sample Budvar in Prague; they serve several different styles from the brewery. However, make sure to try the tiny brewery in the back upstairs. There they make a great cloudy amber yeast beer called Old Gott and another very strong dark beer (I didn't try this). It was one of the best beers in Prague. A must visit for any beer lover. This place is also a hotel and caverous restaurant. In the Old Town not far from several other Prague classic pubs, like U Vejvodu and Zlateho Tygra. (507 characters)

As with all the other reviews a labyrinth of rooms and eating areas as well as a store and a hotel. You can only get the microbrew, however, at the brewpub upstairs. The restaurant downstairs sells Budvar. The brewpub is a lot of fun with two long tables and lots of hearty local foods. A strong smell of boiling wort throughout. I met the brewer and we discussed yeast and hops. The two main beers, light and dark, are very good. The "33" seems under attenuated, very sweet and not as strong as they suggest. Would be a great place if you can find it. (552 characters)

I was quite amazed by the vastness of this place, with all the different bars and areas. The confusing staff has us moving around with no explanation, and then ordering drinks at the bar only to find that we couldnt sit a the tables in the dining room, and finding no seating in the crowded little bar area. It honestly wasnt a great experience, but it was partly bad luck. The selection is only 4 beers that I saw: Budvar light and dark, and the two house beers, the x30 being only bottled and super expensive. But WOW was I impressed with Oldgott; a great dark lager. I would definitely go back just to drink it again, and hopefully get a seat this time. (656 characters)

U Medvídků is a labyrinthine brewpub located on Na Pertýně in the central part of the city ("old town"). As we walked everywhere I am unsure what the parking situation is, although there appeared to be street parking nearby.

There are multiple entrances and multiple levels to the brewpub. The main floor has a restaurant, and evidently there is a hotel there too. Talk about a dream come true, a place that makes there own beer where your only concern is stumbling back to your room at the end of the evening. The top level has a small bar and a low ceiling, and there are tables and booths throughout.

Service here is friendly and helpful, especially considering we did not speak the language.

The brewpub offers a few beers, including the flagship Oldgott and X-33, both of which we purchased to take home. The bottles did not seem as fresh as I expected, but overall the beers were decent. They also serve Budvar at the brewpub.

We did not try any food during our visit.

Overall this place has great character and an outstanding location, and is a must visit on a trip to Prague. (1,103 characters)

Saturday evening (March 2009) and very busy. We were found a table in a side room and missed the 'buzz' of the main eating and drinking areas. No problem though, the beers and food were top class and we enjoyed the tranquility of the smaller room.

On entering you are straight into a small area with a seated lady behind a counter selling bottles, and 'stuff' from the brewery.

If you turn left there is a bar which sells their own beer. Turn right, as we did and you are in the main hall and taken to a table, at least we were. An upstairs bar stays open later, so I'm told. It is a little wierd that they sell different beers on tap in different rooms. Their own X-Beer and Oldgott Barrique are however available in them all, but in bottle form only.

I bought both of their brewed beers on leaving (from the aforementioned lady) and drank the normal Budvar when inside, they have 5 different Budvars upstairs.

The food was lovely, I had a stuffed Pork Loin with spuds in a pepper sauce and my wife had the Stroganoff, nothing went back to the kitchen except the licked plates. (1,082 characters)

U Medvídků is the local pub where the locals seem to hang, which was an encouraging sign. There were some tourists (like everywhere else) but they looked like they stumbled in. As far as I could tell, I was the only one there specifically for the beer.

It is obvious that they do not cater to tourism. The walls are bland; the tables scratched. All of this adds to the charm. The two beers they make are superior, even for the Czechs. Our server was communistically enthused and coldly efficient. She handled a lot of tables, but we never saw a smile. And there certainly wasn't any banter.

The food was good and entirely Czech, meaning dumplings (closer to thick bread) and sausage. We also had fried bread with "beer cheese". My arteries bristled in protest.

That said, for three people with a large meal and beer, the bill (with gratuity) was under $50. Oddly, this is a more expensive meal in Prague when you are away from the tourist sights. (956 characters)

We only ate in the small, upstairs room since it's the only spot you can have their Oldgott beer from the tap. Apparently this is Prague's smallest brewery. The house beer is a full-flavored dark amber that is very sessionable. The place can be a bit too cozey, especially if you have to share a table and the people sitting next to you are smokers. Also, with just one waiter, service can be slow. That aside, the food was great! The smoked pork neck with potatoes and cabbage, baked barley, filled pork filet with croquettes, and the soups--especially the mushroom potato--were outstanding. We came here two nights during our long weekend in Prague. (651 characters)